About time too!
AGAIN LABOUR COUNCILLORS BREAK RANK AND CHALLENGE CLLR STEVE CURRAN AND CABINET. This is the third time in three months – unprecedented since her took over.Two groups of councillors have called in Cabinet decisions to be examined by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.The first call-in – next Wednesday – is supported by the 12 councillors below, with the lead being Cllr Unsa Chaudri. It concerns the Cabinet's decision to purchase affordable homes in developments in Brentford, Hounslow High Street and Feltham, at a cost of £82m.The second call-in – to be heard one week later – concerns the Cabinet's decision regarding Council Tax Support. It is led by Cllr Theo Dennison and proposes consultation on cuts of up to £7.8m in support for the Borough's poorest households. Fuller details of this call-in are not yet available.These follow one last November regarding traffic changes – when Cllr Richard Eason called for the resignations of two Cabinet members, Cllr Katherine Dunne and Hanif Khan.Details of next Wednesday's call-in became available today and are as follows:What Decision is to be Called-In: Council Housing Building Programme Update “ ...approved the following purchase schemes to be included within the approved Council Housing Building Programme:1. 50 homes from Network Homes in Fern Grove, Feltham.2. 55 homes from Barratt Homes at High Street Quarter, Hounslow.3. 164 homes from Berkeley Homes/St Edwards at the Homebase site in Syon, Brentford.”Whose Decision is being called in: Affordable Housing Committee (Councillor Steve Curran –Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Strategy, Planning and Regeneration)Reason(s) for Call-In (Continue on a separate sheet if required):1 Inadequate consultation with stakeholders prior to the decision;· This item did not appear on the Forward Plan for a clear 28 days.· There has been no consultation with ward councillors in respect of majorproposals likely to impact the immediate area.· The Ward location of one site was incorrectly stated.· The status of at least one of these sites is otherwise described in the LocalPlan and consultation does not appear to have been considered to begin to resolve this.2 Inadequate evidence on which to base a decision;· The report contains assumptions of outcomes from a yet to be decided planning application.· The decision allows for procurement, agreeing terms, associated costs, without detailing or showing these costs.· The report does not refer to any agreement for future costs and charges to the authority or potential tenants should the report be agreed.3 Contrary to the budget or policy framework;· This decision does not adequately explain the financial implications of these proposed purchases.· There is insufficient shared Background Information to explain processes, unit costs, specifications and the appropriateness of the mix of purchase being sought.A key decision but not treated as such;With an estimated cost c.£81.9m plus transaction costs and ongoing revenue costs this must a key decisionInsufficient consideration of legal and financial adviceThe report contains no information on future financial implications (revenue costs) of purchasing leasehold properties within a larger development There is no evidence of any legal advice on the implications of making this decision prior to the authority making a decision on Planning Permission
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